‘Golden generation has arrived’: Cricket fraternity lauds India women's team for retaining U19 World Cup title

Indian team became the first team to clinch two back to back U19 World Cup women's titles. 

Former India women’s captain and batting legend Mithali Raj has lavished praise on the Indian women’s U19 team for successfully defending their U19 World Cup title on Sunday, February 2. The Women in Blue led by G Kamilini clinched the second consecutive U19 World Cup triumph with a nine-wicket win over South Africa at the Buayames Oval in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur. 

With a mere 83-run target set by South Africa, India chased it down in 11.2 overs. The bowling all-rounder Gongadi Trisha was the top-scorer for India as she played an unbeaten innings of 44 off 33 balls, She also formed a crucial unbeaten 72-run partnership with Sanika Chalke, who scored an unbeaten 26 off 22 balls. After India lost an early wicket of skipper G Kamilini for 8 at 12/1, there was tension in the dug out. However Trisha and Sanika’s composed partnership ensured that India would go past the finishing line without further fall of wickets. 

For South Africa, Kayla Reyneke tried to put a pressure on Indian batters early in the game by taking a wicket. Eventually, her effort went in vain. The Proteas' girls failed to defend the total.

Indian cricket fraternity couldn’t stop praising India women’s U19 team for their sheer dominance throughout the tournament. Former Indian players, including the likes of Mithali Raj, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rishabh Pant, Anjum Chopra and many others took to their X handle (formerly Twitter) to applaud Women in Blue for winning two consecutive U19 Women’s World Cup titles.

Here’s how Indian cricket fraternity reacted to India’s U19 Women’s World Cup triumph 

The Indian women’s team had an incredible campaign in the U19 Women’s World Cup as they remained unbeaten through the tournament. In the Group stage, India defeated West Indies, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka to make it to the Super six stage of the event. In the Super Six, India defeated Bangladesh and Scotland to qualify for the second consecutive semifinal, where they registered 9-wicket win over England to set up a title clash with South Africa. 

The bowling all-rounder Gongadi Trisha was adjudged Player of the Tournament for her brilliant performance with the bat and bowl. Trisha became the first batter to amass 300 runs in a single edition of the U19 women’s world cup, scoring 309 runs in seven matches. Vaishnavi Sharma was the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, with 17 wickets.